<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Fire Still Burns by hetellsastory</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23859199">The Fire Still Burns</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hetellsastory/pseuds/hetellsastory'>hetellsastory</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>World of Warcraft</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:08:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>852</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23859199</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hetellsastory/pseuds/hetellsastory</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Immediately after the burning of Teldrassil, Graakan seeks out Velen looking for answers</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Fire Still Burns</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A Lightforged priestess was in the middle of reporting to Velen about the availability of more healers to tend to the Kaldorei and Gilnean refugees camped outside the Embassy in Stormwind when the Prophet's eyes took on a faraway look. He gracefully lifted a long finger, gesturing for a pause, and the priestess fell silent. The Chosen's commander Divinius, always at Velen's side, tilted her head in question. Velen's finger changed direction, now pointing out the open door to his back. A few seconds later, the sound of a Warframe's engines shrieking under full power sharply increased in volume, as the craft came to an entirely too-fast landing just paces from the front door.</p>
<p>"Here we go, " Velen murmured, turning slowly to the door with a patient -- and long-suffering -- expression.</p>
<p>The Warframe's main body split open along the hatch lines almost before it stopped moving, and the pilot, a grizzled Draenei warrior named Graakan, was disgorged onto his hooves with practiced ease. Velen took a deep breath as he watched him stomp up the short steps into the front door. The Prophet noted the warrior's eyes were not just tinged red, but were almost burgundy, a sure sign of the explosive rage the armored behemoth was capable of unleashing. This was going to be very loud, he feared.</p>
<p>"Velen." Surprisingly, and ominously, Graakan was talking just above a whisper. "Do you know where I've just come from?"</p>
<p>Velen knew what had just happened on Kalimdor, of course, and the soot and ash smeared on Graakan's armor told the rest of the tale. Graakan took a step forward into the room, and the stains of more grisly things than soot became obvious. Divinius took a step forward, interposing herself between the Prophet and the warrior.</p>
<p>Graakan stopped, fixing his reddened eyes on the smaller Chosen. "Divinius, step back or I'll shove that lance so far up your ass--"</p>
<p>Velen placed a hand on Divinius' shoulder. "It's all right. Graakan and I have been having these... 'talks' since we fled Argus together." Velen stepped forward around the retreating Chosen, right up to Graakan, almost daring him to take some action. "Now, why have you come to me?"</p>
<p>"Did you know Teldrassil is burning?" Graakan asked through gritted teeth. "Did you know you can <i>see</i> the plume from Azurewatch? When the sun goes down, you'll be able to see the glow in the sky from beyond Bloodmyst!"</p>
<p>Velen nodded, but said nothing. What could he say? Although he no longer used the Visions he received to dictate his every move, he was not Blind. His silence just incensed the warrior more.</p>
<p>"Then why?!" Graakan shouted in Velen's face, arms waving. "<b>WHY??</b> Why did we not send troops from the <i>Exodar?</i> Why isn't Romuul moving his monocled butt, and using the <i>Vindicaar</i>'s guns to--"</p>
<p>"THE <i>VINDICAAR</i>'S WEAPONS DON'T WORK!" Velen bellowed. Through the door, he saw people as far away as Olivia's Pond snap around in surprise. Dead silence fell on the Embassy. Graakan blinked, and Velen could almost see his train of thought derailed by the outburst. "Ever since it left Argus, the main cannon cannot be fired. The only thing the <i>Vindicaar</i> can do now is fly, and shield itself. As for troops, what forces are left on Azuremyst are not even sufficient to defend the <i>Exodar</i>. Everyone else is still on Argus, or in Silithus. We've not been able to recall them yet."</p>
<p>Graakan's mouth worked, but no sounds came out at first. Velen waved off a few Stormwind guards who'd come running at the commotion. "Graakan, we've known each other a long time. I know watching the Horde attack in Darkshore is very... difficult for us. We've seen too much mass killing." Velen scowled. "Argus, of course..."</p>
<p>"Yes," Graakan said bitterly. "And Draenor. And the dozen places we tried to call home in between. When does it end, 'Prophet'? When do we finally say 'Here! And no further! Not another step'?" His fists balled into things that resembled maces more than hands. "They killed <span class="u">thousands</span> on Teldrassil, Velen..."</p>
<p>Velen sighed, weary beyond measure. Just when he'd felt some relief, with the Legion defeated, and now the Horde was committing genocide. He reached out to the warrior's shoulder, and steered him toward the door. "Have you been to the Keep yet? No? You should go. King Anduin will be putting out a call to arms, and I suspect you will want to answer."</p>
<p>Graakan gave Velen a look, knowing he was being "handled". The two weren't friends, but you really couldn't afford to be on bad terms when your entire species' population was a fraction of what it was. He growled a little (which Velen ignored) and headed out to the yard. Graakan had answered the call from Varian to take up arms against the Lich King. Now the king's son needed him to kill a Banshee Queen. </p>
<p>Velen watched him go. There was going to be a lot more of this kind of tumult in the very near future. And he didn't need to be a Prophet to know that.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>